Storage device throttling amount of communicated data depending on suspension frequency of operation

Abstract

A storage device includes a memory and a controller. The controller controls the memory such that, in response to a request for a first read operation on the memory while a first write operation is performed on the memory, the first write operation is suspended, and the first read operation is performed, the suspended first write operation is resumed after the first read operation is completed, and second write operation subsequent to the first write operation is performed on the memory after the resumed first write operation is completed. The controller throttles an amount of data communicated to the memory device for the second write operation or for a second read operation subsequent to the first read operation, based on a frequency that the first write operation is suspended.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A storage device comprising:
 a nonvolatile memory; and 
 a controller configured to: 
 count a number of suspensions for write operations including a first write operation during a first time period, and 
 based on the number of suspensions for the write operations, adjust an amount of data per unit time to be communicated during a second time period that follows the first time period by increasing or decreasing a frequency of a clock for communicating the amount of data, 
 wherein the controller is further configured to increase the frequency of the clock based on the number of suspensions increasing, or to decrease the frequency of the clock based on the number of suspensions decreasing. 
 
     
     
       2. The storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller compares the number of suspensions with a reference number. 
     
     
       3. The storage device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller suspends the first write operation during the first time period, when the controller receives a read operation and when the number of suspensions is less than the reference number. 
     
     
       4. The storage device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller resumes the suspended first write operation when the read operation is completed. 
     
     
       5. The storage device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller does not suspend the first write operation during the first time period, when the controller receives a read operation and when the number of suspensions is greater than the reference number. 
     
     
       6. The storage device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller holds the read operation when the controller performs the first write operation and when the number of suspensions is greater than the reference number. 
     
     
       7. The storage device of  claim 6 , wherein the controller performs the held read operation after the first write operation is completed. 
     
     
       8. A storage device comprising:
 a nonvolatile memory; and 
 a controller configured to: 
 count a number of suspensions for write operations including a first write operation during a first time period, and 
 based on the number of suspensions for the write operations, adjust an amount of data per unit time to be communicated during a second time period that follows the first time period by increasing or decreasing a time delay between an end of the first write operation and a beginning of a second write operation that is consecutive to the first write operation, 
 wherein the controller is further configured to increase the time delay based on the number of suspensions increasing, or to decrease the time delay based on the number of suspensions decreasing. 
 
     
     
       9. The storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller increases or decreases the time delay to adjust a communication bandwidth. 
     
     
       10. The storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller increases or decreases the time delay to adjust the amount of data per unit time to be communicated. 
     
     
       11. The storage device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller compares the number of suspensions with a reference number. 
     
     
       12. The storage device of  claim 11 , wherein the controller suspends the first write operation during the first time period, when the controller receives a read operation and when the number of suspensions is less than the reference number, and
 the controller resumes the suspended first write operation when the read operation is completed. 
 
     
     
       13. The storage device of  claim 11 , wherein the controller does not suspend the first write operation during the first time period, when the controller receives a read operation and when the number of suspensions is greater than the reference number. 
     
     
       14. The storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the controller holds the read operation when the controller performs the first write operation and when the number of suspensions is greater than the reference number, and
 the controller performs the held read operation after the first write operation is completed. 
 
     
     
       15. A storage device comprising:
 a nonvolatile memory; and 
 a controller configured to: 
 count a number of suspensions for write operations including a first write operation during a first time period, and 
 based on the number of suspensions for the write operations, adjust an amount of data per unit time to be communicated during a second time period that follows the first time period by increasing or decreasing a number of unit data included in one write operation. 
 
     
     
       16. The storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the controller compares the number of suspensions with a reference number. 
     
     
       17. The storage device of  claim 16 , wherein the controller suspends the first write operation during the first time period, when the controller receives a read operation and when the number of suspensions is less than the reference number, and
 the controller resumes the suspended first write operation when the read operation is completed. 
 
     
     
       18. The storage device of  claim 16 , wherein the controller does not suspend the first write operation during the first time period, when the controller receives a read operation and when the number of suspensions is greater than the reference number. 
     
     
       19. The storage device of  claim 18 , wherein the controller holds the read operation when the controller performs the first write operation and when the number of suspensions is greater than the reference number, and
 the controller performs the held read operation after the first write operation is completed. 
 
     
     
       20. The storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the storage device is a solid state drive (SSD).